Ilir Latifi

Ilir 'The Sledgehammer' Latifi made a long UFC career out of being the strongest man in the cage. A compact, densely-muscled Swedish wrestler, he spent his prime years bullying light heavyweights with explosive takedowns, smothering top control and surprising power for a man often giving up significant height and reach.

That physicality made Latifi a tough matchup for the entire division. He banked wins over names like Ovince Saint Preux and the hyped prospect Tyson Pedro, while staying competitive against ranked opponents and former title challengers such as Volkan Oezdemir. He was never the flashiest fighter, but he was reliably difficult to deal with.

Later in his career, Latifi moved up to heavyweight to test himself against bigger men, facing punchers like Derrick Lewis. A respected, durable veteran rather than a title threat, he is remembered for elite functional strength and a grinding, no-nonsense style that made every opponent earn it.